'
'No doubt it will, ma'am; but not if I aspired to the honour of Miss
Broadhurst's hand, or professed myself her lover.'
'My dear, you are mistaken; Miss Broadhurst is too sensible a girl, a
vast deal, to look for love, and a dying lover, and all that sort
of stuff; I am persuaded--indeed I have it from good, from the best
authority--that the young lady--you know one must be delicate in these
cases, where a young lady of such fortune, and no despicable family too
is concerned; therefore I cannot speak quite plainly--but I say I have
it from the best authority, that you would be preferred to any other
suitor, and, in short, that--'
'I beg your pardon, madam, for interrupting you,' cried Lord Colambre,
colouring a good deal; 'but you must excuse me if I say, that the only
authority on which I could believe this is one from which I am morally
certain I shall never hear it from Miss Broadhurst herself.'
'Lord, child! if you would only ask her the question, she would tell you
it is truth, I daresay.'
'But as I have no curiosity on the subject, ma'am--'
'Lord bless me! I thought everybody had curiosity. But still, without
curiosity, I am sure it would gratify you when you did hear it; and
can't you just put the simple question?'
'Impossible!'
'Impossible!--now that is so very provoking when the thing is all but
done.
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